PATNA: Ahead of Bihar assembly election, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday triggered a political firestorm by alleging that the BJP had forced Bihar chief minister and JD (U) national president Nitish Kumar into 'mental retirement’.
He also accused the BJP of considering him a ‘burden’.
Making his opening remarks at the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Patna, Kharge claimed that the internal dispute within the NDA had come to the fore.
He alleged that even if the BJP formed the NDA government in Bihar last year by receiving the support of Nitish once again, the ‘double engine’ government's promise of development proved 'hollow' as no special package from the Central government was received.
“Nitish government promised development, but Bihar's economy is lagging,” he claimed.
Congress president also alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched to steal votes across the country. “Similar to Bihar, a conspiracy is now being hatched across the country to steal the votes of millions of people. Vote theft -- theft of rations, pensions, medicine, children's scholarships, and exam fees belonging to Dalits, tribals, backward classes, extremely backward classes, minorities, the weak, and the poor is happening.”
He said that the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' had raised awareness among the people of Bihar, as they had extended their overwhelming support to Rahul Gandhi.
He contended that fair and transparent elections were the foundation of democracy, but now serious questions were being raised about the fairness and transparency of the Election Commission itself.
“Revelations have been made in various States, and instead of answering those questions, EC is demanding an affidavit from us,” he added.
He also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the Uttar Pradesh government's ban on caste-based political rallies. He said that Uttar Pradesh chief minister, who considers himself the successor to Prime Minister, did the most 'bizarre' thing, after writing an article against reservations, he had banned caste-based rallies in his State.
Addressing party leaders, Kharge slammed PM Modi and the BJP-led government at the Centre, accusing them of failing the country on both international and national fronts.
“India is going through a deeply challenging period, with diplomatic missteps and domestic turmoil reflecting the complete failure of governance under the Modi regime."
He also highlighted the growing crises of unemployment, social polarisation and systematic weakening of constitutional institutions, accusing the Modi government of undermining democracy to suit its political interests.'
“Will the Prime Minister tell about the country on one hand, talking about conducting a caste census, and on the other hand, and a chief minister talking about jailing those who take to the streets in protest against the injustice and atrocities committed against them,” he added.
Kharge said that a caste survey was conducted in Bihar when the grand alliance was in power, as the reservation quota was increased from 50 percent to 65 percent in jobs and higher education institutions.
"I want to ask PM Modi what compelled him to fail to secure constitutional protection for the hiked reservation quota," he said.
“History bears witness that the Congress government granted a 69 percent reservation for the people of Tamil Nadu thirty years ago. The double-engine government failed to do this here (in Bihar),” he remarked.
Earlier, the extended working committee started its deliberations of various issues, including ‘vote chori’ and unemployment.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and party leaders from across the country have gathered to attend the CWC being held in Patna after a gap of almost 84 years.
